Off The Beaten Path: Exploring South America

A visit to Machu Picchu is reason enough to visit South America. The awe-inspiring archaeological site in Peru was rediscovered in the early part of the 20th century. Peregrine Adventures, the small-group tour specialist, takes travellers through Machu Picchu on many of its expeditions, with options of visiting by train or via four-day or one-day trek. Starting in Lima, the hiking tour traverses the volcanic lands of Arequipa and weaves through the Andes mountains to the archaeological wonders of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. After floating across the waters of Lake Titicaca the tour finishes in the exotic jungles of the Amazon.

The Galápagos

Located just under 1000 kilometres off mainland Ecuador’s coast in the Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Islands team with wildlife. The volcanic archipelago’s diversity informed Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and it’s where thousands of species come to mate, nest and raise their young. Peregrine Adventures offers six- and 10-day cruise tours around the island so you can follow in the footsteps of Darwin.

The Amazon

A region unto itself, covering 5.5 million square kilometres across nine countries, including Brazil, Peru and Ecuador, the Amazon is the largest and most biodiverse territory of rainforest on earth – home to over 5000 different species of fauna. Puerto Maldonado, a two-hour flight from Lima followed by a 45-minute canoe trip, is a terrific option for travellers who are keen to venture into Peru’s wildly different ecosystem. Most travel in the forest is done either on foot or by canoe. Peregrine Adventures offers various tours to the Amazon, including a five-day ‘independent travel’ Remote Amazon Experience.

For more information about all these adventures, contact your travel agent, call 1300 100 229 or visit peregrineadventures.com.